I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

This was an entertaining read all around, and if you enjoy YA that doesn’t fit in one particular genre or another, this is a good choice. It’s not just a revenge story, but it’s really not a romance, either – it is what it is, and I appreciated that it didn’t stick too closely to the tropes of one genre or another.

Hal and Spencer are both solid characters, and the wider universe of characters are generally unique and have their own motivations, too. I found Montana and Madison to be virtually interchangeable, and I think they could easily have been combined into one character to act as Hal’s best friend to narrow down her circle, because as it is there are a lot of characters to keep track of.

The plot itself is nothing new, and most of the loose ends are tied up neatly without a lot of additional questions left for the reader to ponder. I don’t think that’s always a bad thing, but I’m indifferent about how it works for the story here; on the other hand, I can’t think of an ending I would have preferred to see instead. For a story that seems to subvert genres, I was hoping for something a little more unique, but it’s not bad as it is.

Pest is a good read for those who look for a good-paced YA story. There’s something for most readers here, regardless of preference, and I think that speaks to the wide appeal this book will likely have.